Chapter 212

Inside the Falling Star Hall of the Great Chen Imperial Palace.

After signing three cooperation agreements from the Tianyang Star Palace and the Great Chen National Dao Academy in a row, when Cheng Yuexiao began to discuss the quota for selection next year, Du Tingyun refused to do so no matter what.

The reason is very simple: the quotas in these agreements signed earlier are harmless.

For example, the number of disciples recruited by the Tianyang Star Palace in the county branch academies and state branch halls in Great Chen only decreased by 20%.

Even if the new Star Lord makes a fuss to the Star Palace, it doesn't matter.

Because the more disciples the Tianyang Star Palace recruits, the more cultivation resources they need to pay.

The reason why the Tianyang Star Palace wants to recruit disciples widely in the Great Chen territory has two purposes: one is to recruit family children from officials and local wealthy families, and after cultivation, use this to win over these forces so that they can be used by the Tianyang Star Palace in the future.

In a county, where are there so many official and wealthy family children to recruit?

Some official children simply don't go to the Tianyang Star Palace.

Because they know clearly where their foundation lies.

The second purpose is to select true genius disciples.

The more genius disciples they select for the Tianyang Star Palace, the fewer genius disciples Great Chen will have.

But this kind of thing is like looking for a needle in the ocean; you only know after you select them.

Moreover, those who are finally accepted as disciples are actually those with relatively good talent.

So the number of these quotas doesn't have much influence.

Including the frequency of mountain mining in the Tianyang Star Palace's territory, etc., the influence is not too great, so he signed them all.

But for the selection quota, Du Tingyun really didn't dare to sign!

This was an item in the Blood Star Covenant of that year. To obtain this selection quota, they paid a bloody price back then.

This is also one of the grand plans to continuously weaken Great Chen and limit the growth of Great Chen's power.

If he dares to sign, and the new Star Lord makes a fuss about it to the Star Palace, he will definitely be held accountable.

Therefore, Du Tingyun refused to sign no matter what; let alone reducing two, even reducing one wouldn't work.

"Grand Master Cheng, I see that you are bullying my Tianyang Star Palace for having no one! Since that is the case, I, Du, will take my leave first. I will naturally report this matter to the Star Palace. Whether these contracts and agreements are valid, please ask the Grand Master to discuss it with the Star Palace."

Du Tingyun directly turned his face and prepared to leave, and he was no longer willing to deal with Cheng Yuexiao.

Not only that, he also released words that the three contracts signed earlier to stabilize Cheng Yuexiao were all intended to be voided.

"Your Majesty, this subject bids you farewell!"

After speaking, Du Tingyun bowed righteously and prepared to slip away.

But he was secretly happy in his heart.

Today, he successfully restrained Cheng Yuexiao here, and then turned his face like this. When he goes back and reports to the Star Palace, he doesn't need to pay any price. If he is lucky, it will be double the merit!

The reason why Du Tingyun dared to do this is actually very simple.

Because he felt it was about time.

Calculating by time, he had already restrained Cheng Yuexiao for at least a quarter of an hour.

The time should be more than a quarter and a half, close to two quarters of an hour.

With such a long time, Star Lord Zhang Zhen must have completed the assassination and finished cleaning up the aftermath.

Then his mission was completed, and naturally, he could turn his face.

This was also the wishful thinking Du Tingyun had made.

The only doubt was why Star Lord Zhang Zhen had not sent him a starlight message all this time?

If he succeeded, he should notify him, right?

An accident?

It should be impossible!

Cheng Yuexiao was restrained here by him.

Du Tingyun had already labeled Zhang Zhen's actions in his heart—his actions were not meticulous enough, and he should be careful when cooperating with Zhang Zhen in the future.

"Star Lord Du, it's not very good for you to report the agreements that have already been reached to the Star Palace, is it?" Emperor Qian'an finally spoke.

At this time, Great Chen Emperor Qian'an and Cheng Yuexiao's interests were consistent.

"Your Majesty, it is Grand Master Cheng who is bullying people too much!

It is not that I am unfaithful to my words!

Since that is the case, everything is overturned!

Farewell!"

With a very tough bow, Du Tingyun was about to leave directly. With his status, he assumed Emperor Qian'an would not dare to stop him.

Twenty years ago, the experts of the Tianyang Star Palace rushed directly into the palace and beheaded Emperor Qian'an's empress.

Emperor Qian'an's empress was a true disciple of the Spirit Record Star Palace back then.

Back then, Emperor Qian'an didn't even dare to fart.

Now, it was even more impossible to stop him from leaving.

It was just that just as Du Tingyun turned around and was about to leave the hall, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao suddenly clapped her hands.

Du Tingyun didn't understand what Cheng Yuexiao meant, but at this moment, it was better to leave first.

Turning his face and leaving meant he didn't have to pay anything, and he had restrained Cheng Yuexiao for two quarters of an hour.

But just as he reached the hall door, Du Tingyun was stopped by someone.

To be precise, he was stopped by five dead people with incomplete corpses.

Five corpses were lined up at the gate of the Falling Star Hall, blocking Du Tingyun's way.

This made Du Tingyun slightly surprised and somewhat puzzled.

But the next moment, Du Tingyun's face changed drastically!

It became extremely ugly!

He recognized them!

These five corpses were all his subordinates.

The five Fifth Tier Gather Battle experts sent to assassinate Xu Jin!

They were all dead!

The corpses had been brought over!

The veins on Du Tingyun's forehead suddenly bulged: the assassination failed!

"This waste Zhang Zhen! How could he fail the assassination and not even destroy the corpses, and even leave behind evidence!"

After cursing, Du Tingyun's heart thumped again, and he instantly realized another problem: five Fifth Tier Gather Battle late-stage or even peak-stage experts all died in battle, which meant that the Great Chen National Dao Academy must have been prepared long ago!

It was bait!

They were fishing!

And not just ordinary fishing!

A total of ten Fifth Tier experts, plus a Zhang Zhen who was secretly supporting them, then the power dispatched by the Great Chen National Dao Academy...

"Grand Master Cheng, what is the meaning... of this?"

Du Tingyun, who was about to leave, pointed at the corpses blocking the way and questioned, but it was clear that he was already somewhat lacking in confidence!

Cheng Yuexiao looked at Du Tingyun, whose eyes were flustered, and walked over slowly, "Do you want me to have someone report the resumes and detailed origins of these five people to Star Lord Du? Do you want me to invite people who can prove their identities to come over and identify them for Star Lord Du?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Du Tingyun's expression became increasingly flustered, and he didn't know how to respond.

He didn't expect that this matter had failed and had resulted in the worst, worst consequence!

"Star Lord Du, don't panic first; there is something I want to tell you." Cheng Yuexiao spoke again.

"Star Lord Du, just a quarter of an hour ago, Zhang Zhen, the Great Chen Xing Lord stationed at the Cangming Star Palace, led ten Fifth Tier experts to assassinate Xu Jin, a disciple of our Great Chen National Dao Academy, and was killed on the spot by our Great Chen National Dao Academy's Left Libationer and his men.

With this, our Great Chen National Dao Academy has already dispatched troops to surround the Cangming Star Palace's Dachen Wan Yi Main Hall. If the Cangming Star Palace cannot give us an account, six hours later, we will flatten the Cangming Star Palace's Dachen Wan Yi Main Hall!"

This news exploded in Du Tingyun's mind like a thunderbolt.

Especially the information that Zhang Zhen had died, which shocked him even more.

Zhang Zhen was dead!

Star Lord Zhang Zhen was dead!

This was an even greater threat to Du Tingyun, because if Star Lord Zhang Zhen could die, it meant that he, Star Lord Du Tingyun, could also die!

This was the thing he feared the most!

Because of fear, he ignored the matter of dispatching troops that Cheng Yuexiao mentioned.

"No, I am safe!

I am in the Great Chen Imperial Palace, and Emperor Qian'an is my witness; Cheng Yuexiao dares not do anything to me!

I didn't participate in the assassination!

I am safe!"

After struggling internally for dozens of breaths, Du Tingyun, who understood the implications, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"What does this have to do with me? I just came to bid farewell to His Majesty! As for these five people, after I go back and investigate clearly, I will naturally give you an account!" Du Tingyun, who had figured out a way to respond, wanted to leave forcibly.

The next instant, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's star power moved, and her aura instantly locked onto Du Tingyun, instantly scaring Du Tingyun.

But Du Tingyun was still tough, shouting sternly, "Cheng Yuexiao, if you have the ability, kill me and see if the Tianyang Star Palace can let you off!"

"Kill you!"

Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao laughed, "That's what you said! It just so happens that if I kill you, I will send these corpses to the Tianyang Star Palace together, and at the same time copy them to the Marshal's Office of the Star River Battlefield. Du Tingyun, the Great Chen Xing Lord stationed at the Tianyang Star Palace, actually took action to assassinate Xu Jin, the champion of our Great Chen National Dao Academy's autumn examination!

I think your Tianyang Star Palace will definitely give us a perfect account."

"You are talking nonsense!"

Du Tingyun was instantly furious, "When did I participate in the assassination?

I clearly came to pay respects to His Majesty!

His Majesty can testify for me; I absolutely did not participate in the assassination!"

Emperor Qian'an, who was sitting high on the imperial throne, gave an "eh" and said expressionlessly, "From beginning to end today, I have never seen Star Lord Du."

In an instant, Du Tingyun felt as if he had been poured a basin of cold water from head to toe, feeling thoroughly chilled, but he still wouldn't give up.

"Your Majesty, on this point, you cannot fake it! I came to pay respects to Your Majesty today, and along the way, I saw no fewer than a hundred officials, eunuchs, and various guards. If I die, the Tianyang Star Palace only needs to verify it slightly to find clues!" Du Tingyun said anxiously.

"No one will have seen you!

The guards and sentries on duty in the Imperial Palace after the unrefined hour today, as well as the officials who appeared, will all be sent to other star domains or to perform secret missions in places that never see the light of day. They will not appear again within three to five years." Emperor Qian'an said expressionlessly.

"This..."

Du Tingyun stammered, "But I really didn't participate in the assassination; you cannot frame me like this?"

Hearing this, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao laughed, "How could we frame Star Lord Du!

The assassination took place on the territory of our Great Chen, in Dachen Wan Yi, the heart of our Great Chen, which is the place where our Great Chen has the strongest influence. We will definitely make this matter an ironclad case, and no matter who comes, they won't be able to find any flaws!

Star Lord Du must have personally participated in the assassination and then been killed by us on the spot!"

In an instant, the blood color on Du Tingyun's face completely faded, and his whole body seemed to have had its spine pulled out, leaning softly against the pillar, gasping for breath, sweat pouring out like pulp!

In a life-and-death choice, anyone would be like this!

Suddenly, Du Tingyun, who was gasping for breath, had a flash of inspiration in his heart.

If Cheng Yuexiao really wanted to kill him, she would have killed him long ago; why waste so many words with him.

Wasting words with him was actually his way of survival.

In an instant, Du Tingyun came back to life again.

"May I ask Your Majesty, Grand Master Cheng, what can be done today to give me a way to survive?" Du Tingyun turned around and bowed, his arrogance and expression already a world of difference from before!

Hearing this, Cheng Yuexiao and Emperor Qian'an looked at each other and smiled; today's matter was a success!

"This matter is simple. Please decide on the selection quota, Star Lord Du. Moreover, there are also the three agreements signed earlier; Star Lord Du must help us make them ironclad cases! Even if a new Star Lord comes, they won't be able to overturn them!" Cheng Yuexiao said.

"How is this possible?"

"This is Star Lord Du's own business.

If you do it, Star Lord Du will leave alive, and these corpses will disappear.

If you can't do it, then Star Lord Du will become a corpse and be sent to the Tianyang Star Palace together with these five corpses!"

Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's words made Du Tingyun break out in a cold sweat again, facing the threat of death directly!

Very quickly, Du Tingyun thought of a solution, "As long as there is relevant interest or other exchanges, it cannot be overturned. In this way, Great Chen also pays a little price that can be big or small, so that no one can overturn it."

"Hahaha, good, Star Lord Du is indeed straightforward."

A quarter of an hour later, after handling everything, Cheng Yuexiao personally sent Du Tingyun out the door.

Among the many matters signed today, others didn't matter; only the selection quota for the Tianyang Star Palace next year was the key point.

This year's selection, because of Xu Jin, preserved Great Chen's vitality.

Next year's selection was also settled.

But the year after next, they would have to rely on the Great Chen National Dao Academy itself.

But in two years, the role and power of the six Gold Stars in Xu Jin's hands would be fully exerted.

At that time, the situation would be different again.

Watching Du Tingyun go away, Cheng Yuexiao also breathed a sigh of relief.

Today's matter seemed to be a matter of course, but it was actually very dangerous.

In essence, it was just that Du Tingyun was scared and didn't react, not noticing the general trend!

There was a general trend that was actually very critical.

That is: the Great Chen National Dao Academy dared not and could not provoke the Tianyang Star Palace and the Cangming Star Palace at the same time.

If the Great Chen National Dao Academy challenged the Tianyang Star Palace and the Cangming Star Palace at the same time, it would inevitably be targeted by both Star Palaces with all their strength. At that time, the Great Chen National Dao Academy's own power was not as good as these two Star Palaces, and under two-on-one, the Great Chen National Dao Academy would inevitably suffer a major setback!

Therefore, today's matter, since the Great Chen National Dao Academy had already turned against the Cangming Star Palace, it was impossible to turn against the Tianyang Star Palace again.

It was just that Du Tingyun didn't react and suffered such a big loss.

This was also the reason why the Great Chen National Dao Academy didn't mention the assassination by the Tianyang Star Palace at all.

As for Du Tingyun reacting afterward, what could he do?

If he made a fuss, it would only be a slap in his own face.

After Du Tingyun went away, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao turned back and bowed to Emperor Qian'an, who was sitting high on the imperial throne, "Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty."

"It is the Grand Master who has worked hard."

"Now that affairs are urgent, this subject will take her leave."

"Hmm, Grand Master, please go."

After taking two steps back, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao turned and left the Falling Star Hall. As she stepped out, she sighed secretly.

Once upon a time, the monarch and subject talked about everything.

Every time they achieved a small result, they would pat the table and celebrate.

But now, there was only this bit of etiquette left!

The Cangming Star Palace's actions were still very fast.

The Great Chen National Dao Academy had completely surrounded the Cangming Star Palace's Dachen Wan Yi branch hall, and the combat power was also overwhelming.

The Dachen Wan Yi branch hall, because of the alliance between the two sides, did not have many experts stationed there. At this time, five Fifth Tier Gather Battle experts died in battle, and Star Lord Zhang Zhen died in battle. Apart from a Sixth Tier Deputy Hall Master, there were no other experts who could support the scene.

What was even more fatal was that the Great Chen Xing Plucking Tower directly blocked the transmission of the Star Plucking Tower.

In Dachen Wan Yi, only Great Chen's Star Plucking Tower was the main building, while the Tianyang Star Palace and the Cangming Star Palace were all branch buildings.

The main building closed the transmission permissions, and the branch buildings had no way.

This was the rule of the Star Plucking Tower, and no one could change it.

This made rapid reinforcements impossible.

The key is that the Cangming Star Palace is not reasonable!

The bigger this matter gets, the more embarrassing the Cangming Star Palace becomes!

It's a bit like two children arguing, and your family goes up and beats one of the children wildly; it's not reasonable anywhere!

If the Great Chen National Dao Academy really flattened the Cangming Star Palace's Dachen Wan Yi branch hall, let alone the losses, the loss of face would be even greater!

And whether to go to war or not is also a problem!

In the current situation, if they really went to war with the Great Chen National Dao Academy, the Tianyang Star Palace would only sit back and reap the benefits!

The high-level officials of the Cangming Star Palace are not stupid!

The Cangming Star Palace's actions were also extremely fast.

Only three hours later, the First Elder of the Cangming Star Palace, Sun Xianzu, arrived in person. He first transmitted through the Star Plucking Tower to the Songzhou state city closest to Dachen Wan Yi, and then flew at high speed without counting the consumption of the star boat.

The First Elder of the Cangming Star Palace came, so naturally, he was received by Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao and the high-level officials of the National Dao Academy.

The two sides talked and pulled for a full hour before it ended.

When coming out of the main hall, the First Elder of the Cangming Star Palace, Sun Xianzu, had a gloomy face!

Clearly, he had paid a considerable price.

This matter was unreasonable in the first place, and they had fallen into solid evidence, the corpses were still in the hands of others, and they were surrounded by others, so it was impossible not to pay a price.

However, most of the prices were paper prices.

The most important point was that the Cangming Star Palace gave up the selection quota for Great Chen next year!

On this point, it seemed that the Cangming Star Palace didn't pay any price.

But if they counted the future influence, the price would be huge.

The selection quota matter was actually a design made by the two major Star Palaces in the Blood Star Covenant back then to let Great Chen's top combat power break off.

As long as it continues for a few decades, Great Chen's top combat power will be worse than the previous generation.

When one day, the top existences of the three parties take action, they can lock the victory in one battle!

In the situation where no one can resist the top combat power, Great Chen will only be completely divided by the two major Star Palaces!

The design period for this strategy was sixty years!

Today, it has only lasted for twenty years.

This year, the two major Star Palaces were defeated, and giving up one more year next year is fine.

It is still within the acceptable range of the two major Star Palaces.

A two-year gap should not change the overall situation!

Besides that, there was some compensation!

That night, the army of the Great Chen National Dao Academy that surrounded the Cangming Star Palace's Dachen Wan Yi branch hall all withdrew!

Xu Jin also followed the army back to the National Dao Academy.

Returning to his small courtyard, Xu Jin carefully reviewed everything that happened today, but he had ideas again.

Strength!

He still had to improve his strength!

Ten Fifth Tier experts were slaughtered like chickens and sheep today!

These people were all celebrities in Dachen Wan Yi before!

Experts!

Yet they died just like that!

Many people didn't even know how they died!

Xu Jin didn't want to be like this!

Therefore, Xu Jin set a medium-term small goal for himself—Fifth Tier!

Breaking through to the Fifth Tier Gather Battle Realm, Xu Jin estimated that he should have Sixth Tier combat strength, and adding other means, in the current world, if he is careful, he should have true self-preservation power.

As for the short-term small goal, it is naturally Refine Star Ninth Layer!

But just as Xu Jin set a goal for himself and began to cultivate, the forces of all parties changed again.

Or rather, the matter of the Cangming Star Palace assassinating the champion of the Great Chen National Dao Academy's autumn examination triggered a chain reaction in the entire current world!

The current world suddenly had winds and clouds rising again!

(End of chapter)